Little of note happens in February. The card and flower sellers try to lure us into Valentine’s Day celebrations. Some enjoy a brief respite in the sun or on the slopes. And the dry January penitents punch the air as the wine begins to flow again.

It would be churlish also not to acknowledge that both my sister and I have birthdays under the sign of Pisces. Clearly our parents were orderly breeders.

Overall, though, this is 2025 but not yet the good bit.

Which reminds me how powerful that three-letter word can be.

How different is ‘I can’t do this’ from ‘I can’t do this, yet’? Or ‘I don’t get it’ from ‘I don’t get it, yet’? Or ‘I haven’t become it’ from ‘I haven’t become it, yet’?

More lyrically, Irish poet W.B. Yeats is credited with “There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t met yet.”

The addition of ‘yet’ can make a seismic difference. By challenging limiting thoughts, by reframing setbacks as temporary obstacles, by seeing opportunity amidst disappointment. As a result, it is possible to build confidence and feel more hopeful about the future.

The Power of Yet exists as a term, coined by American psychologist Carol Dweck in her best-selling book Mindset. The New Psychology of Success.

Dweck associates the empowering belief embedded in ‘yet’ with her Growth Mindset theory. Individuals adopting this mindset accept that their basic qualities, like talent and intelligence, can be developed over time. This inspires persistence, effort, and learning.

It has been shown to boost achievement. Employees in a Growth Mindset company are more likely to be motivated, committed and linked with higher performance.

In contrast a Fixed Mindset regards intelligence as static. Unsurprisingly, in this mode of thinking, if you are not good at something, you tend to believe that you will never be good at it. This breeds an aversion to challenge, an inclination to give up easily, a propensity to see endeavour as a waste of time.

Individuals so minded may plateau early in their careers and realise less than their full potential.

In bringing a Growth Mindset to life in the workplace, it is important to praise wisely. Not just the outcome but also the processes and strategies deployed. A feedback culture is vital too, with an emphasis on curiosity, building upon mistakes, championing new skills.

And finally, a ‘not yet’ mentality.

Remember. It’s February. The best is yet to come.